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Whirling Dervishes

The practice of Sufi whirling (or Sufi spinning), (Arabic: رقص سماع) is a twirling meditation that originated among the Turkish Sufis, which is still practiced by the Dervishes of the Mevlevi order. It is a symbolic ritual through which dervishes (also called semazens) aim to reach the "perfect" (kemal). They try to desert their nefs', egos or personal [bad] desires by listening [to their master and sufi music], thinking [about God] and whirling which resembles the rotation of other beings such as electrons and planets of the micro- and macrocosmos.

As explained by Sufis: "In the symbolism of the Sema ritual, the semazen's camel's hair hat (sikke) represents the tombstone of the ego; his wide, white skirt represents the ego's shroud. By removing his black cloak, he is spiritually reborn to the truth. At the beginning of the Sema, by holding his arms crosswise, the semazen appears to represent the number one, thus testifying to God's unity. While whirling, his arms are open: his right arm is directed to the sky, ready to receive God's beneficence; his left hand, upon which his eyes are fastened, is turned toward the earth. The semazen conveys God's spiritual gift to those who are witnessing the Sema. Revolving from right to left around the heart, the semazen embraces all humanity with love. The human being has been created with love in order to love. Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi says, "All loves are a bridge to Divine love. Yet, those who have not had a taste of it do not know!"" ^[1]

Sufi whirling is one of the Sema rituals performed by Sufi orders.

Mevlevi dervishes whirling in Pera by Jean-Baptiste van Mour

• The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony
• DankPhotos.com: Whirling Dervishes: The Search for Spirituality|Pictures from a Sema
• Mystic dances of a Kurdish Sufi order